


Remembering Him

by Tamakis_sun



Category: Naruto
Genre: Crying, Death, F/M, Lots of tears, Sad, eating ramen at a grave
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-04
Updated: 2020-11-04
Packaged: 2021-03-09 03:55:29
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,526
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27378310
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tamakis_sun/pseuds/Tamakis_sun
Summary: Tenten eating a bowl of ramen at Neji's grave bc shemisses when he would take her out to eat
Relationships: Hyuuga Neji/Tenten
Comments: 2
Kudos: 18





	Remembering Him

**Author's Note:**

> this was an idea given to me by @softboisasori on twiter so thank you!! hopefully you like it:)

The days drifted by slowly, the time going by quickly but the days dragging on forever. Eventually days turned into weeks and weeks turned into months. It didn’t seem like that long since Neji was alive and telling Naruto off for goofing around on a mission. It’s been over five months since Tenten had last spoken or seen Neji in the flesh. Every time she closed her eyes though, he was right there in her mind, clear as day and beautiful as ever. Every time she laid her head down at night, her dreams were filled with him. Some nights were good when she got to remember the good times she had with him growing up. Other nights were excruciatingly miserable like the weeks following Neji’s death. 

Today had been a particularly bad day for Tenten. She had a lovely night of dreaming about Neji and her being together. It was after the war and they were older, building a family home together. Neji had left behind the Hyuuga’s main house and chose to live with Tenten on the outskirts of downtown Konoha. Tenten chased a toddler waddling around the room and Neji would chuckle smiling at his two favorite people. Then her eyes cracked open and she was brought back to reality. The one without Neji. Tenten squeezed her eyes shut trying to bring back the comfort from her dream but after a few minutes of trying to fall asleep and failing, she decided to get up and get ready for the day. 

What’s worse was that she couldn’t talk to anyone. No one was in town. Gai sensei was out on a mission with Lee and she was alone. She was alone on her birthday. No one was around to keep her company, but she really only wanted one person's company though it was impossible.

Gai had always pounded teamwork into their heads and because of that they created a bond deeper than friends. Tenten had always felt so much more for Neji. He was the one who knew when something was wrong. The only one who ever cared to ask. The only one who put in the effort to make her feel better. 

That’s why the news of Neji's death was so devastating to her. Tenten can still remember where she was when everyone told her Neji died protecting Naruto. She never hated Naruto for being the reason Neji died but there was always this ache in her heart knowing that Naruto came out alive but Neji didn't. 

That’s why she was on her way to Ichiraku for a bowl of ramen. He may not be with her physically but he was with her in spirit. She would never forget her first love. 

Neji would always take her for ramen on her birthday and vice versa. She was going to keep the tradition going to keep his memory close to her heart. 

Walking down the streets of Konoha her head hung low watching the rocks she kicked with every step. She had walked these streets her entire life with Neji and Lee by her side and she couldn't help but let a tear escape her eye thinking about how she was alone on Neji's birthday. With a quick swipe of her finger she erased any trace of a fallen tear and took a deep breath to calm herself down. She didn’t want to break down when it was the birthday of a man she loved so dearly. 

Stepping up to the counter, Tenten took a seat on the barstool placing her forearms on the bar.

“What can I get you?” The old man asked.

“One bowl of pork ramen to go please.”

“Coming right up.”

With a slouch, she rested her head on her hands and exhaled long and loud waiting for the ramen to be done.

“Long day?” The chef asked.

“Kind of. Just had a bad morning.”

“Well I hope this bowl of ramen will make your day better.”

Eyes becoming glossy, Tenten nodded once trying to keep the tears at bay.

The chef packaged up the ramen and placed it in a bag along with some chopsticks.

“Thank you.” Tenten exhaled shakily, grabbing the bag and heading out.

With the warm bag in her crossed arms, the heat on her stomach was comforting. A little reminder of the warm hugs Neji would give her when she was sad and he wanted to cheer her up. 

Tenten reached the entrance to Konoha’s cemetery. Taking a deep breath, her lower lips trembles trying not to let any tears fall. Neji wouldn’t want her to cry. He would want her to live happily.

Passing by the graves she sees Sakumo Hatake and Asuma Sarutobi’s tombstones. 

Reaching the stone with Neji’s name engraved in it, one look at it had Tenten collapsing. She couldn't hold the heartbreak any longer and she fell to the floor in a disheveled heap as her grief poured out in a flood of uncontrollable tears.

Tenten fisted the grass in front of Neji’s tombstone, knees and hands covered in dirt. Throat tightening and gasping for air, the tears race down her cheeks dampening the collar of her shirt. Her hunched body shaking with each gasp of air.

“Why did you-“ Tenten chokes out. “Have to die?” 

Tenten remembered that day after Lee and her were promoted to chunin and Neji to jonin. The three of them were huddled together and were so happy they would still be a three man squad. She wished it would’ve been forever. 

“You didn’t have to sacrifice yourself. We could’ve fought together and you’d still be here. We would have still been a three man team. We could be eating ramen together” she wails, ripping the patch of grass that was in her hand out of the ground.

Taking deep breaths, the choking sobs subside and she opened the bag of food.

Sitting with her legs crossed and the ramen safely tucked between them, she grabbed the chopsticks and the sound of the swift crack of them snapping apart got carried away with a slight breeze. 

Taking a bite, she remembered the last time Neji took her out for ramen. Last year for her birthday, they both were lucky enough to have been on a break in between missions. Neji had shown up at her house with a single white lily from Yamanaka’s Flowers. He wished her a happy birthday and declared they were going to go to Ichiraku to have ramen since they did that the last time they were able to celebrate her birthday together. She took his lily and had kissed his cheek thanking him for being so thoughtful. She could remember the blush that spread across his face afterwards. 

Tenten had calmed down but the evidence of her heartbreak was still streaming down her face. Forgoing wiping her cheeks dry, the hot tears staining her face were dripping from her chin mixing with the broth in the ramen. Still she ate. 

“I miss you,” she sighed, setting her chopsticks down. She had never cried this hard for anyone else. “So much.” She tilted the corners of her lips in an attempt to smile. 

Closing her eyes, she replayed the day she admitted her feelings for Neji.

It was right before the war started. Everyone was terrified for the future, but focused on rebuilding the village after Pain destroyed everything. It was a good distraction for others, but not her. Tenten couldn’t stop thinking about the impending bloodshed. What would happen? What if they lost? What if they get Naruto? Neji was the only one who understood how worried she was. 

He had found her pacing a hole in the ground in the woods close to where they normally trained. He had grabbed her by the shoulders tucking her to his chest. He placed his chin on top of her head, and wrapped his arms around her back tightly holding her to him. Telling her that it’ll be okay and they’ll win, that with Naruto on their side, there wasn’t anything they would lose to. 

Tenten thought about how he had easily calmed her down at that moment. He was always the light at the end of her dark tunnel that she looked for. With her face tucked against his neck, she whispered that she loved him. Crying then too, she divulged how she had always loved him and nothing had made her happier when he told her he loved her back. He untangled himself from her and placed his hands on her, gently holding her face telling her that they will talk more about it after the war. 

Tenten opened her eyes, sighing loudly. “I’m never going to forget the time we had together. I’m going to remember and come back every year so we can eat ramen together.” She shakily exhales.

Closing her eyes, she sat still taking slow breaths. The breeze blowing her bangs back felt like Neji was there gently brushing his knuckles across her cheek before pushing the hair behind her ears. 

“I miss you.” Tenten whispered before standing up and walking out of the cemetery.


End file.
